Safety rail for roofing; method of use and of manufacture

ABSTRACT

A safety rail for use by roofers is disclosed. The rail is light in weight, high in strength and durability, and can be installed relatively quickly.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/674,999, filed on Apr. 26, 2005.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a safety rail for use by roofers and other types of contractors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Current safety rails for roofers are cumbersome, time-consuming to install, and expensive. Consequently, there is a demand for an invention which addresses these problems.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a safety rail which is easy to install and manufacture. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent as the following description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention in a disassembled state; and

FIG. 2 shows detail of the bottom end of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows detail of the present invention in an installed state;

FIG. 4 is another view of the base of the embodiment of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows an additional embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows the present invention in an installed state;

FIG. 7 shows more detail of the embodiments of FIGS. 1-6;

FIG. 8 shows more detail of the embodiments of FIGS. 1-7;

FIG. 9 shows more detail of the embodiment of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 10 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before explaining the disclosed embodiment of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the particular arrangement shown, since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a brace 100 for use in a tri-level safety rail. A U-shaped lip 104 is designed to fit around a gutterboard, which is a horizontal bordering structure typically positioned near to a roofline of a structure such as a house. It is important that the lip 104 be strong, sturdy, and solidly fixable to the gutterboard, as the brace 100 must be able to withstand a significant amount of force exerted thereupon.

It is the purpose of the present invention that a group of braces 100 be combined in the aggregate to provide a type of safety fence or safety rail around the roof of a house or other structure. One common use for such an arrangement is during the installation, repair, or tear-down of a roof of a house, although this is but an example and the present invention should not be considered as limited exclusively thereto. A movable bracket 108 holds the bottom level of the safety rail. The bracket 108 can be affixed in position by finger-screws or other securing means (not shown in FIG. 1). Two fixed brackets 112 and 116 support the middle and top levels of the safety rails.

FIG. 2 shows more detail of the bottom end of the brace 100. A plurality of holes 204 are positioned within the lip 104 so as to provide strength and durability for attaching it to the gutterboard, or other portion of the structure requiring a safety rail. In FIG. 2, the movable bracket 108 has a securing means 216. At the opposite end of the bracket 108 exist holes 208 and 212 for securing a bottom rail within the bracket 108. These holes 208, 212 are also for the purpose of attaching a securing mechanism, and thus can be threaded. The bottom rail secured within the bracket 108 could for example by a 2×4, although the present invention should not be considered as limited exclusively thereto.

FIG. 3 is a view of the base of a brace 100 secured in place and attached to a gutterboard. The brace 100 differs from that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in that the support brackets of FIG. 3 face toward the roof. In FIGS. 1 and 2, it is apparent that the support brackets 104,112, and 116 would, when installed, face away from the roof. The brace 100 of FIG. 3, as with those in FIGS. 1 and 2, is attached to the gutterboard via a variety of nails or screws located in holes 308 which penetrate through the lip 104. A securing means 216 holds the body of the brace 100 securely in place.

FIG. 4 is another view of the base of the brace 100 from FIG. 3. In FIG. 4 it is apparent that there can be multiple holes 308 within the lip 104. Indeed, the more holes 308, and more securing mechanisms passing therethrough such as nails or screws, the more solidly the lip 104 and therefore the entire brace 100 will hold to the gutterboard. However, an increase in the number of holes and securing mechanisms used will also increase the time necessary to install (and later remove) the brace 100.

The brace 100 can have a securing weld 312 or other solidifying means at its base. This is because it is so important that the lip 104 and body of the brace 100 be very solidly attached. The main portions of the mechanical stress exerted on the brace 100 will exist largely at its base.

FIG. 5 again shows the base of a brace 100, in which a movable bracket 504 differs from the earlier movable bracket 208 in that the bracket 504 includes a cylindrical-shaped housing 512, for accommodating a pipe-shaped mechanism such as that used in chain-link fences. This is because, as stated, the present invention is intended to provide a type of safety fence or safety rail around the roof of a house or other structure.

FIG. 6 shows a brace 100 supporting three levels of safety rail 804, which in FIG. 6 are 2×4s, although the present invention should not be considered as limited exclusively thereto. FIG. 7 shows a pair of braces 100 attached to a gutterboard at a roofline, where the braces 100 are supporting cylindrical pipes which are acting as safety rails.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show perspective views of safety rails supported by the brace 100 of the present invention. In FIG. 19 it is apparent that both 2×4s as well as pipe-rails can co-exist within the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-9, the purpose of the device 100 is generally to install a new roof. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the purpose of the brace 1000 is instead to tear off an existing roof for repair or replacement. In these circumstances, there may not be a gutterboard available, or it may be so badly deteriorated such that it is unreliable.

Use of the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 is accomplished as follows. A triangular device 1004 is attached to a roof beam which supports shingles which are to be torn off. The triangular device 1004, which is sometimes referred to as a roof-jack, is nailed into the beam using the three holes provided therein. The triangular device 1004 is carefully chosen so that its angles match with the pitch of the roof. Alternatively, the device 1004 can be adjustable in angle, so that that present invention could accommodate a variety of roof pitches.

Normally, the device 1004 exists to create a foot layer or walkway, in which boards (e.g. 2×6) are inserted as shown in FIG. 10, as a type of stepping beam or foot rail for the roofers to move about on the slanted roof surface with less difficulty. However, the present invention takes advantage of a different effect of attaching the device 1004, which is to create a vertical surface 1008. The brace 1000 is secured to this vertical surface 1008 via a slot or hollow securing mechanism 1012 in which the brace 1000 can be vertically inserted. Additionally, the exact positioning of the brace 1000 within the slot or securing mechanism 1012 can be fixed using a threaded securing mechanism 1016, similar to those used in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-9.

A third embodiment of the present invention exists, in which a brace can be used with masonry, bricks, walls, wall studs, or other non-roof vertical surfaces. In this embodiment, an attachment mechanism is securedly affixed to a wall or other surface. The attachment mechanism has extension members securedly joined thereto, where these members support a base receptacle for seating a brace, and also provide a walkway such as but not limited to 20 inches in width. This embodiment has the advantage of interchangeability of parts. The brace can be inserted into the receptacle, the triangular device, or even into a U-shaped lip 104. Using such interchangeable parts, a construction company can purchase a smaller amount of braces, and insert them in the walls as the walls are being completed but before the roof is begun. After the walls are completed, by making some simple adjustments, the same braces can be used on the roof as well. Thus, it is not necessary to purchase separate safety parts for the roof and also for the walls.

It is anticipated that various changes may be made in the arrangement and operation of the system of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims. 

1. A safety rail device, comprising: a vertical brace, joined to a gutterboard of a house or other structure by a U-shaped lip positioned at the base of said brace; and a plurality of brackets, arranged vertically along said vertical brace, for inserting and fixedly securing rails.
 2. The safety rail device of claim 1, further comprising: wherein said vertical brace is permanently joined to said U-shaped lip.
 3. The safety rail device of claim 1, further comprising: wherein said vertical brace is temporarily and removably joined to said U-shaped lip.
 4. The safety rail device of claim 1, further comprising: wherein the lowest of said brackets is slidably movable along the surface of said vertical brace.
 5. The safety rail device of claim 1, further comprising: wherein the middle and highest of said brackets are affixed to the surface of said vertical brace.
 6. The safety rail device of claim 1, wherein a group of said devices are combined in the aggregate to form a safety rail around a structure.
 7. The safety rail device of claim 1, wherein said safety rail has three or more horizontal levels.
 8. The safety rail device of claim 4, wherein said lowest bracket holds a bottom level of the safety rail and is affixed in position by finger-screws or other securing means.
 9. The safety rail device of claim 1, wherein at least two fixed brackets support the middle and top levels of the brace, wherein the rail is affixed in position by finger-screws or other securing means.
 10. The safety rail device of claim 1, wherein said lip is manufactured to have a plurality of holes.
 11. The safety rail device of claim 10, wherein the rigidity and resistability of said brace is proportional to how many of said holes are used for fixedly securing said brace to said gutterboard.
 12. The safety rail device of claim 4, wherein said movable bracket has a first securing means for securing the location of said bracket within said brace.
 13. The safety rail device of claim 12, wherein said movable bracket further comprises: a second securing means, positioned opposite said first securing means, for securing a bottom rail within the bracket
 14. The safety rail device of claim 1, the rail secured within said brackets is a 2×6 wooden board.
 15. The safety rail device of claim 1, wherein said support brackets face either toward or away from the roof.
 16. The safety rail device of claim 1, wherein the base of said brace can have a securing weld or other solidifying means.
 17. The safety rail device of claim 1, wherein said brackets comprise a cylindrical-shaped housing, for accommodating cylindrical fencing rod such as that used in chain-link fences.
 18. A safety rail device, comprising: a vertical brace, joined to triangular device positioned at the base of said brace which is attached to a roof beam; and a plurality of brackets, arranged vertically along said vertical brace, for inserting and fixedly securing rails.
 19. The safety rail device of claim 18, further comprising: wherein said vertical brace is temporarily and removably joined to said triangular device via a slot or hollow securing mechanism which the brace can be vertically inserted.
 20. The safety rail device of claim 18, further comprising: wherein the lowest of said brackets is slidably movable along the surface of said vertical brace.
 21. The safety rail device of claim 18, further comprising: wherein the middle and highest of said brackets are affixed to the surface of said vertical brace.
 22. The safety rail device of claim 18, wherein a group of said devices are combined in the aggregate to form a safety rail around a structure.
 23. The safety rail device of claim 18, wherein said safety rail has three or more horizontal levels.
 23. The safety rail device of claim 19, wherein said vertical brace is affixed to said triangular device by one or more finger-screws or other securing means.
 24. The safety rail device of claim 18, wherein an angle of said triangular device matches with the pitch of the roof.
 25. The safety rail device of claim 18, wherein said triangular device can be adjustable in angle so as to accommodate a variety of roof pitches.
 26. A safety rail device, comprising: a vertical brace, joined to an attachment mechanism positioned at the base of said brace which is attached to a wall stud or scaffolding structure; and a plurality of brackets, arranged vertically along said vertical brace, for inserting and fixedly securing rails.
 27. The safety rail device of claim 26, further comprising: wherein said vertical brace is temporarily and removably joined to said wall stud or scaffolding structure via a slot or hollow securing mechanism which the brace can be vertically inserted.
 28. The safety rail device of claim 26, wherein a group of said devices are combined in the aggregate to form a safety rail around a structure. 